


Another Big Win

by Spiky_Crouton88



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Exy (All For The Game), Forehead Kisses, M/M, Post-Canon, Professional Exy Player Andrew Minyard, Professional Exy Player Neil Josten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27782944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spiky_Crouton88/pseuds/Spiky_Crouton88
Summary: The following year at PSU...
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Kudos: 55





	Another Big Win

It was the following year at Palmetto State University and the Foxes still had a bunch of kinks to work out. Neil and Andrew stayed in Columbia all summer while Nicky was off galavanting with Eric; Aaron had spent the entire summer following Katelyn around on her spirited whims. Though, when the exy season came to an abrupt start, Neil was excited to officially be back on the team. Kevin had stayed behind for the summer with Neil and Andrew as well, allowing them to get in some practices over the unusually warm summer. However, Kevin did not stay in Colombia with them, he stayed at Coach Wymack’s place.  
The first day of practice came quickly, and the new faces filed onto the field. Neil saw the striker that he had picked out last year before champions. That win still rocked the exy nation, proving that the Foxes were no longer the underdogs, they were on top. After Riko’s death was made public - even after Evermore tried their hardest to keep the press off it - the Foxes legacy was secure. Fans from everywhere came to visit home-court and away-court matches, never wanting to miss a beat of the action. Neil could not believe how much their tiny team had grown, not only in size but in publicity.  
Over the summer, Neil had won the guessing game between him and Andrew a few times. Andrew had looked more alive than ever on court now. Matt couldn’t believe how far Andrew was sticking his neck out for the team when on court; even if Andrew was only sticking his neck out a few centimeters more than last year, Matt was still bewildered in joy.  
The year had its usual tightness that surrounded the group of Foxes. Taking on new subs because of the ERC, it was tough to get into a team rhythm again but soon Neil and the rest had gotten a handle on things. Press wrangled them every time they got the chance to do so, and even if Nathan was dead, Neil still had shied away. Nathan’s people were still out there and fiercely loyal. Neil also hadn’t been able to bad mouth Riko and the Ravens now that Riko was dead and the Ravens had fallen apart, there was not a single team that Neil had any bad wishes for.  
The year had come and gone by the time Neil had a chance to blink an eye. And then, they were stepping onto the championship’s field again, trophy in hand. Neil had not thought much of it, but nerves still got the better of everyone. That had been here before, except it was under worse circumstances. Tonight they played the Trojans and Jeremy’s grin from across the court at Kevin was all it took to confuse the newbies and bring smiles to the veterans. Last year, the Trojans had gracefully accepted defeat and played fair, putting only nine players on the line-up. But tonight was a whole different game, each team brought their A-game in a final showdown. Neil knew that the Trojans would play fair, and the Foxes would try their slyest to overcome Kevin Day’s favorite team.  
This year Andrew took to sitting with Neil on the bus, and tonight had been no exception. Neil gave Andrew a knowing look, they were going to try their best tonight. Even if Neil had to bargain another piece of himself to Andrew just to protect that goal like his whole life depended on it. Neil still wasn’t sure how Andrew had felt about exy, Andrew had not even touched a racquet during the summer months, content to sit on the sidelines and watch Neil battle Kevin.  
Being called onto the court still had the same dizzying effect as it had at their first game. He was truly Neil Josten now, he was Nathaniel or any other false name. Just, pure Neil Josten; starting striker for the Foxes at PSU. He would never tire of that feeling.  
The fight between the Trojans and Foxes was as thrilling as it was terrifying. Andrew would call him a junkie again later and ruffle his hair and call him stupid for some of the moves Neil made on court tonight. But it wouldn’t matter, because the moves had paid off in the end. Kevin had scored a goal within the last two seconds of the buzzer just as he had last year, putting the end score at six to four. The underdogs had won yet again, at all odds they had done it. Again. Neil could not believe his eyes as the subs ran on court and bounced with the rest of the team.  
Neil was still so deep inside his own thoughts that it took a lot longer than it should have to see Andrew come out of the goal and start to walk towards him. It was strange to see the goalie waddle across the field in his thick padding. Andrew had already discarded his gloves, helmet, and stick in this frenzied ending. By the time Neil had taken his own helmet and gloves off, holding onto the stick as if it was a lifeline, Andrew was standing in front of him. Neil hadn’t had to bargain a chip to Andrew, that much was evident as Neil saw Wymack, Abby, and Betsy hooting from outside of the court.  
Neil nudged Andrew’s arm with his own, “We did it. We actually did it,” when admitting those words out loud they sounded almost foreign to his own ears. But it caused a new wave of excitement to wash over Neil, “We did it, Andrew!” Andrew just stared at Neil, content to keep that lifeless glare on his face, but Andrew’s eyes were not an empty expression when Neil looked at him. Instead of the ice-cold glare that usually beheld his own, there was a hint of pride.  
“Andrew Minyard, yes or no?” Neil asked, excitement still holding his voice captive.  
“Yes?” Andrew said after a moment's hesitation. Neil took that good enough and pulled Andrew into a hug. It was not returned when Neil started to jump up and down.  
“We did it!” Neil repeated.  
“Junkie,” Andrew had whispered back. Neil retreated and placed a kiss to Andrew’s sweaty forehead before running to the rest of the Foxes.  
When Neil looked back, he saw something that was a first for Andrew. Something that probably everyone will miss or mistake for mania. Before Neil was engulfed into his teammate’s embraces, Neil to one last look at the man he had come to love. And Andrew was smiling the brightest, most happiest smile that could come from someone with a more than rough past. Neil had been triumphant in more than one way that night. They were healing, and everything would inevitably not be “just fine”, but they would make due and Neil would love every single minute of it.


End file.
